Hotel das Cataratas leads Brazil hotel ranking in 2026

For the first time, Hotel das Cataratas, located in Foz do Iguaçu, claimed the top spot in the 2026 EXAME Casual Ranking, which gathers the country's best hotels. In the third edition of the list, 50 hotels, resorts and inns were assessed by 34 tourism and lifestyle professionals.

In 2024 the hotel finished second, and the previous year it held fourth place. In this edition it surpassed Rosewood São Paulo, which led the two previous editions and placed second, while Copacabana Palace, also from the Belmond chain, came in third.

Beyond the EXAME ranking, Hotel das Cataratas earned other recognitions in 2026: it was named Brazil's best hotel by the French guide La Liste, scoring 98.5 points, and ranked 77th on the expanded The World’s 50 Best Hotels list.

The property is situated within Iguaçu National Park, an area of 185,000 hectares of Atlantic Forest, near the 275 waterfalls of the Iguaçu Falls. This location allows guests to use the park's trails before opening to the public and after closing, when visitor traffic is low.

Inaugurated in 1958, the building was designed by Ângelo Alberto Murgel and features Portuguese-inspired architecture integrated with the natural surroundings. It offers 176 rooms across 12 categories, including suites with views of the falls. The Y restaurant, led by chef Luiz Filipe Souza, serves reinterpretations of Brazilian cuisine.

The ranking jury consists of 34 journalists, critics and influencers from various regions of Brazil, who select ten establishments in order of preference based on experiences over the past 12 months. EXAME's platform allows readers to mark hotels they have visited or wish to visit, making the ranking a travel-planning tool.

Source: https://100fronteiras.com/turismo/hotelaria/noticia/hotel-das-cataratas-e-eleito-o-melhor-hotel-do-brasil-pelo-ranking-casual-exame-2026